Palace says claims are ‘unsubstantiated,’ a ‘desperate gimmick’
The defense on Sunday alleged that Malacanang offered P100 million for senators to skirt around the Supreme Court-issued temporary restraining order on the subpoena issued on Chief Justice Renato Corona’s alleged dollar accounts.
Citing a “very reliable” source, defense lawyer Dennis Manalo said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. has been contacting senator-judges not to honor the halt order.
Anti-smoking advocates have a new ally and could yet be the most effective in the crusade to stop the habit that kills some 80,000 Filipinos every year.
In her radio program, “Good Times in the Morning”, with Mo Twister last Wednesday, the 29-year old Korean TV and radio host who has admitted dating 52-year old President Benigno Aquino III, said, “I can always convince the guy to quit smoking.”
Lee should have a good chance to succeed in convincing Pnoy to stop smoking because she said they always talk “animatedly for three to five hours. “
Lee’s self-imposed mission should warm the hearts of anti-smoking advocates in the country like Dr. Anthony Leachon, internist-cardiologist and consultant to the Department of Health on Non-communicable Disease and Dr. Cecilia Llave, gynecologist-oncologist, Initiative Coordinator of the national Cancer Institute.
The vote was 8-5-1. Corona inhibited.
As to the petition of Corona to stop the his impeachment trial, no action was done because when it was raffled Wednesday, it went to Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, who inhibited because his son is a member of the House of Representatives from where the Corona impeachment emanated.
Whatever would be the final decision on the Chief Justice’s dollar account or accounts, Corona is finished.
By David Dizon, ABS-CBNnews.com
Corona’s SALN (end-2010): P3.5M cash/investments
Chief Justice Renato Corona had a total bank balance of P19,728,555.39 from 2 bank accounts in Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) as of end-December 2010, records from the bank showed Wednesday.
The bank balance is much higher than the P3.5 million cash and investments he declared in his statement of assets, liabilities and networth (SALN) for 2010.
Wikipedia says the term pro bono comes from Pro bono public which means for the public good. It is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service.
It’s human nature to want to get something for nothing. The trait cuts across economic classes. That’s why senior citizens in Makati, rich or poor, love former Mayor Jojo Binay for giving them a lot of freebies including free movies.
In fact in many cases, it has become a status symbol because it means you know somebody important who gave you a free ticket.
I remember a shipping company manager complaining of politicians and influential personalities who were fond of asking for free tickets when they can very well afford them.
Makikita sa mga litrato na bumuka ang lupa. Ayon sa report kahapon, sobra 50 ang namatay at mukhang tataas pa dahil meron pang mga nadaganan na hindi naalis. Patuloy pa rin ang mga aftershocks na nakakatakot dahil ang mga gusali o lugar na nauga at mahina, maaring bumigay na.
Marami daw sa mga nasawi ay dahil sa landslide. Nadaganan ng mga bato at mga gusali. Meron ngang isang bata na namatay nang madaganan ng pader sa punerarya. Kawawa naman talaga.
Senate Resolution on the Request for Subpoena of Corona’s Bank Accounts
Santiago’s motion for reconsideration of opening of bank accounts
FULL text of the Senate impeachment court’s Feb. 6 resolution granting the prosecution’s request to subpoena certain bank records of Chief Justice Renato Corona and summon bank officials.
Resolution
This resolves the twin Requests for Issuance of Subpoenae both dated January 31, 2012 filed by the House of Representatives.
On January 31, 2012, the House of Representatives, through its Prosecutors, filed a Request for Issuance of Subpoena seeking to require the President/Manager and/or other authorized officers of Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) to testify and produce before the Court the original and certified true copies of the following documents:
a. Customer Identification and Specimen Signature Card of the bank account, under the name RENATO CORONA which won P1 Million in the PSBank Monthly Millions Raffle Promo as listed in the Official List of Winners as of March 13, 2008;
Many still buried in 10 meters of rubble
By Alex Pal, Florence Baesa, Inquirer Visayas
DUMAGUETE CITY—At least 52 people were killed when a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Negros and Cebu provinces shortly before noon Monday, causing landslides and huge cracks on highways, and violently shaking buildings, officials said.
A three-story building collapsed, while seven bridges were rendered impassable, they said.
In Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, at least 29 people were feared dead following a landslide in Barangay (village) Planas, Mayor Ernesto Reyes said in a phone interview. He said there could be more fatalities in other barangays.
“They were buried in 30 feet (10 meters) of soil. If you had been buried from noon until now (6 p.m.), I don’t expect you to be alive,” Reyes said.
Rescuers dug with picks and shovels trying to reach dozens of people trapped under houses that collapsed, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Ten others died due to a landslide at the Guihulngan national road, Reyes said.
Governor Roel Degamo said a 9-year-old girl, Bernadette Raidan, died when a wall collapsed in Tayasan town.
The impeachment court trying Chief Justice Renato Corona has granted, “but sets specific limits to the same,” the request of prosecutors to subpoena bank executives and records on accounts of the accused and members of his family.
Emerging from a closed-door caucus on Day 12 of the trial, the court presiding officer, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, said the senator-judges deliberated on the prosecution motion, and majority voted to grant the request under certain restrictions. He directed Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III to read aloud the court resolution on the matter.
The event was to mark World Cancer Day.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona laid out the burden of cancer in the Philippines, which kills 7.3 million people worldwide annually.
He said it is estimated that one in five Filipinos will be afflicted with cancer during their lifetime. “With the population approaching 100 million, this translates to 20 million of our countrymen that will require cancer care,” he said.